Can-capper.



Patented May 27, I902.

J. R. DUNCAN.

CAN CAPPER.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

M @NVENTOR.

ATTORNEY.

UNirn STATES ATENT OFFICE.

JOHN R. DUNCAN, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO THE SPECIALTY MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF INDIANAPOLIS,

INDIANA.

CAN-CAPPER.

zsrhGIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 701,176, dated May 27, 1902.

Application filed August 19, 1901. Serial No. 72,618. (No model.)

To all 7,077 017? it ntay concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN R. DUNCAN, of Indianapolis, county of Marion, and State of Indiana, have invented a certain new and useful Can-Oapper; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which likenumerals refer to like parts.

The object of this invention is to make a machine for pressing thelids of tin cans, after they have been filled, into the months or openings in the cans for closing and sealing the same.

One feature of this invention consists in mechanical means for actuating and guiding the presser-head for pressing the lid down into the mouth of the can.

Another feature of the invention consists in a presser-head for pressing the lid down into a sealing position by acting on the rim or upper edge of the lid.

Another feature of the invention consists in the peculiarly-formed series of seats for cans of varying sizes while being sealed.

The various features of this invention will appear from the accompanying drawings and the following description and claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective of the machine with a can in place for sealing. Fig. 2 is a central vertical section of the presser-head and the top of a can and lid after the lid has been pressed into the sealing position, parts being broken away. Fig. 3 is a detail of a part of Fig. 2, shown on an enlarged scale. Fig. 4 is the same as Fig. 3 with the parts in position forsealing the can. Fig. 5 is a central vertical section ofthe can-support, showing the series of seats for cans of varying sizes. Fig. 6 is a perspective of the front end of the lever that actuates the presserhead, the rear end being broken away.

The machine herein shown for illustrating the nature of my invention consists of a table with a top 1, legs 2, and the lower braces 3. Upon the table a rectangular arm 4 is secured, having at the free end of the horizontal portion thereof the guide 5 for the rod 6, to the lower end of which the presser-head 7 is so- 50 cured by the set-screw 8. The presser-head is maintained normally in the elevated position by the spiral spring 9, which acts against the guides 5 below and the nut 10 above.

The presser-head is actuated by the lever 11, pivoted to the arm 4 at 12 and with its other end pivotally connected with the piece 13, that is clamped to the rod 6 by the setscrew 14. The pivot-pin 15 operates in the slot ,16 in the bar 11 to prevent said bar from interfering with the true vertical movement of the rod 6. A connecting-bar 17 is pivoted to the bar 11 between itsends and extends down through the table 1 to the turnbuckle 18, which is connected with the screw 19, that is pivoted to the lever 20, which is fulcrumed to the bracket 21, secured to one of the lower braces 3, and there is a pedal 22 on the outer end of the lever 20.

The can 25 is located on a suitable canseating block 26, that is secured to the table 1, the center of said seating-block 26 being in line with the center of the presser-head 7, the rod 6,and the guide 5, so that the movement of the presser-head by reason of the guiding movement of the rod 6 will always be absolutely true with reference to the can and lid.

As shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 4,the lid 27 is a circular disk with its edge 28 turned up almost to a right angle, with the upper part turned outward to form the rim 29. The can has an opening in the top to receive this lid, the diameter of the opening being slightly less than the diameter of the lid. The top of the can has a bead 30 around the opening, formed by bending the metal, so as to give strength to that portion of the top, andwithin said bead/the top is turned down to form .the inwardly-extending flange 31, that tapers so that the diameter of said flange decreases from the top to the bottom of it, as appears. in Fig. 4. The relative dimensions of the lid 27 and the flange 38 of the top of the can are such that when the lid is pressed into the opening surrounded by said flange 31 it will tend to enlargethe opening and stretch the flange 31 and wedge tightly against said flange to form a seal. The side 28 of the lid is almost vertical, so that the pressure on the rim 29 acts vertically on the edge of the lid. The rim 20 is the strong part of the lid, and

or the size of the cans.

it is desirable to bring the pressure of the presser-head only on that. Hence the presserhead is formed, as shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 4, with an annular horizontal face 40, adapted to engage and bear down upon the rim 29 of tension 41 therefrom comes so close to the bottom of the lid that it will resist any appreciable upward movement of the bottom of the lid arising from the material within during the pressing down of the lid. For seating cans of varying sizes beneath this presserhead I provide a series of concentric circular depressions 45 in the seat-block 26, said depressions sloping upward rapidly toward the center to conform to the bottom edges of tin cans. The depth of these depressions increases in proportion to the diameter of them Within the central depression 45 the seat-block 26 is solid and substantially flush with the outer edge of such block, and between the depressions 45 the elevations or partitions 46 extend substantially flush with the outer edge and the center of said block, the top surface of said elevations 46 being flattened. The purpose of this arrangement, besides accommodating cans of different sizes, is to cause the seating-block 26 to support and reinforce the bottom of the cans while they are being sealed and are under pressure from above.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A machine for sealing cans by pressing the lids thereof into the months or openings in the cans including a support for the can, a

presserhead for engaging, centering the lid and pressing itdown into a sealing position, and means for actuating saidpresser-head.

2. A machine for sealing cans by pressing the lids thereof into the months or openings in the cans including a support for the can, a presser-head for engaging, centering the lid and pressing it down into a sealing position, a rod carrying said presser-head, a guide for guiding said rod and presser-head, and means for actuating the presser-head.

3. A presser-head for sealing cans having a central extension to enter the depression in the can-lid and an annular fiat surface about such extension to engage the rim of the lid for pressing it into place.

4. A presser-head for sealing cans having an annular pressing-surface for engaging the rims of the lids and pressing them into the can, and a central extension beveled on its outside surface and adapted to enter the depression in the lid and almost touch the bottom of the lid in the final movement of the presser-head.

5. A seating-block for cans while the same are being sealed having a series of concentric circular depressions of varying diameters and elevations within and between said depressions that are substantially flush with the top surface of the block and with each other.

6. A seating-block for cans while being sealed having a series of concentric circular depressions of varying diameters to receive the bottoms of the cans, said depressions increasing in depth from the center of the block outward.

In witness whereof I have hereunto affixed my signature in the presence of the witnesses herein named.

JOHN R. DUNCAN.

WVitnesses:

FLORENCE E. BRYANT, V. H. LooKwoon. 

